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A. KNOLES, who has been a resident of Moore's Prairie Township, Jefferson County, since 1868, is now residing on section 9, where he owns a valuable and highly improved farm of two hundred acres. Mr. Knoles is also the possessor of two other estates in the township, and is justly regarded as one of the influential and prominent citizens of the county. Our subject was born in Gibson County, Ind., November 1, 1843, and is a son of Wiley and Minerva (Scott) Knoles, the former of whom is a native of Georgia, and removed north to Indiana with his parents when a boy. The great-grandfather of our subject emigrated to this country from England with a brother about the time of the Revolutionary War. The brother was lost sight of and the whereabouts of that branch of the family is not known. Wiley Knoles was a farmer by occupation, and was married in the Hoosier State, where he reared family of eleven children, consisting of William, Minesa, Patsy, Martin, Asa, Susan, A. (of this sketch), Leander, Francis M., Sarah and Melissa C. They are all living with the exception of Susan, who died many years ago. The parents of our subject were devoted members of the Presbyterian Church and were very active in forwarding the good work in their vicinity. The father was a stanch Democrat in politics, and came to Illinois when our subject was an infant of two years. He made settlement on a farm two and one-half miles north of Spring Garden, where he resided until his decease, in February, 1893, when eighty-four years of age. Mrs. Knoles is still living and makes her home on the old farm. A. Knoles was reared on his father's farm in Spring Garden Township, and received his education in the common schools of that day. When attaining his majority, he went west to Council Bluffs, Denver, Salt Lake City, and from there to Grand Round and Puget Sound. The party of which he was a member drove four yoke of oxen on the trip, and during their tedious journey across the plains had several encounters with the Indians. Our subject on one occasion was wounded by a bullet in the knee, and another time aided in burying three of the men who had been killed. The party consisted of fifty men, and their wagons were loaded with bacon, which was worth at that time $1.25 per pound. From Denver to Salt Lake City, mules were hitched to the wagons, and at Grand Round our subject met his brother Martin, with whom he walked across the mountains to Puget Sound. When camping on the mountains one night, an animal stole their provisions and they were compelled to walk for thirty-six hours without food. When on his western trip, Mr. Knoles went to Portland, Oregon, where he remained until spring, when he crossed the Cascade Mountains. Returning to the above city shortly afterward, he took passage on a steamer bound for New York, whence he went by rail to Chicago, and from that city to his home. February 17, 1867, he was married to Miss Harriet Smith, and the young couple located on eighty acres of land which the father of our subject had given him in Spring Garden Township. Eight years later, however, he disposed of his farm and removed to Moore's Prairie Township, where he purchased his home farm, and where he is living at the present time. Mr. and Mrs. Knoles have had a family of eight children: Dora, Hardin, Lulu, Gertrude, Raymond, Roy, and two who died in infancy. Our subject, although formerly a Democrat, is now a Populist in politics. Socially he is an Odd Fellow, with which order lie has been connected for the past twenty years.
Source: "Portrait and Biographical Record Clinton, Washington, Marion and Jefferson Counties, Illinois" Note from Sandy: this appears to be his marriage with his first name and correct spelling of his last name: KNOWLES, ANNANIAS SMITH, HARRIET E 1867-02-17 003 00000026 JEFFERSON
This is also the link to his Findagrave memorial: |
For corrections or additions, please contact me: Sandy Bauer